A rare Sunday for SSNTV, in a change to the published programme we were double-booked at another NT place – and since apparently cut & burn has to give way to Brownies (the little ones, with yellow badges that is, not the cakes), Mel didn’t need asking more than once to get the other kind ready as the Group pitched up at Morville Hall for the first of what will be two consecutive visits.
Workday leader Chris – yes, AGM Chair only the night before – we keep ’em busy don’t you know, continues the tale:
Another bright and sunny day greeted SSNTV on arrival – a day which was to be a scorcher for some!
After a brief tour of the garden, we set to work cutting back shrubs in the main borders either side of the central path; this was no small job and, to get the tops of some, required the use of the two three-legged ladders – kindly supplied and delivered by Guy from NT Dudmaston.
Thankfully, some bushes required no ladders, being taken down to ground level. The resulting mass of vegetation was dragged across the lawn to be consumed by fire on a prior burn site next to the old swimming pool. The flames held good with a steady supply of dry alder removed from around the ornamental canal from the previous August workday. As there was quite a lot of smoke, it was helpful the bonfire site was some distance from the Hall; I’m not sure Mel wanted that much fumigation! The work continued all day in sunshine with the bonfire attendees looking ever more red-faced every time there was a break for tea/coffee and cake.
Some saw it as an artistic challenge to sculp the shrubs into new shapes. Most took on the task of balancing atop the large ladders. By the end of the day the sun streaming through the varied coloured shrubs remaining was evidence of a job well done.
Many thanks to Mel for making us so welcome, as ever, and for the steady flow of tea and coffee – with even a slice of lemon for the peppermint tea. The cakes were plentiful, varied (flapjack, rocky road, apple & cream sponge, and Earl Grey cake for the very sophisticated!) and extremely welcome – I enjoyed each one so I know!
For those that missed out, I can only encourage you to make the journey this coming Sunday – petrol permitting, there’s still plenty more to go at – as an added encouragement, some of the apples in the adjacent orchard may also be ready to pick.
